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Post-Andersson, who is the Flames’ best trade chip?
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Photo credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Jan 21, 2026, 11:00 ESTUpdated: Jan 20, 2026, 21:53 EST
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The 2025-26 trade deadline is just over six weeks away.
On Sunday, the best defenceman on the market was traded, as the Flames sent Rasmus Andersson to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Zach Whitecloud, Abram Wiebe, a top-10 protected 2027 first, and a conditional 2028 pick.
It’s unclear if the Flames are done ahead of the Mar. 6 deadline, but they shouldn’t be. With a strong farm system and a strong upcoming draft, it’s paramount for the long-term outlook of the team to finish with a high-pick and allow the youngsters to play.
That begs the question, who is the Flames’ biggest trade piece heading into the trade deadline?

The Flames’ best trade piece

There are a few Flames’ players who could net the team a good return. Whitecloud should be flipped as soon as possible, as the Flames can get a good return for a strong defensive defenceman with term. Joel Hanley is another defenceman with term, but may only fetch the Flames a mid-round pick. Ryan Lomberg and Justin Kirkland are both unrestricted free agents at the end of the season.
However, their biggest trade piece is between Nazem Kadri and Blake Coleman. In an ideal world, the Flames trade both of them before the deadline, netting a handful of picks and perhaps a couple of strong prospects, but that doesn’t seem likely given the Flames’ tendency to not sell until the final year of a contract.
Coleman, who is on the injured reserve, has a cap hit of $4.9 million and will become a free agent after the 2026-27 season. He has a 10-team trade list, meaning that if a team isn’t on that list, he’d have to waive it.
Kadri is under contract for even longer, as he earns a cap hit of $7 million until the end of the 2028-29 season. For the remainder of the contract, Kadri has a 13-team no-trade list, making him available for 18 teams in the league.
This season, Kadri has nine goals and 34 points in 49 games, well off the pace of his career-high 35 goals in 2024-25 with 67 points. Coleman is tied for the team-lead in goals with 13, as he has 21 points in 44 games this season. In total, 10 of his 13 goals have come during even-strength action.
Kadri is the better player, but not the better trade asset. His cap hit of $7 million is hefty. There are a few teams in or around a playoff spot that can absorb the full contract, such as the Detroit Red Wings, Carolina Hurricanes, Utah Mammoth, Los Angeles Kings, and Seattle Kraken. That said, moving Kadri is easier in the off-season when teams have more money to work with.
Coleman’s contract is easier to move during the season. He has less term than Kadri, which means that the Flames could use two of their available retention spots to eat 50% of his contract, making his contract worth just $2.45 million until it expires after next season. Almost every team in the league can make that work if they send a contract back, and in turn, the Flames would get an even better trade package.
Either way, if a good trade presents itself for either player, the Flames would be wise to make that move. Not only would both players give them a good return, but it’d significantly weaken them over the rest of the season, giving them a higher pick in the stacked 2026 draft.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for FlamesNation, Oilersnation, and Blue Jays Nation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
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